Atlanta’s Hindu community has grown substantially since the 1960s and 1970s when the first wave of South Asian immigration brought engineers, physicians, and academics to the metro area’s universities and research institutions. The community today is one of the most significant Hindu populations in the American Southeast, with temples serving Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, Punjabi, and other regional communities whose distinct worship traditions and languages have produced a diverse institutional landscape rather than a single unified Hindu community center. The Atlanta metro area’s Gwinnett County, in particular, has seen extraordinary growth in South Asian immigrant settlement, making communities like Norcross, Duluth, and Suwanee among the most active regions for new Hindu temple construction and congregation growth in the country.
Hindu temples in Atlanta serve both religious and cultural preservation functions, providing worship spaces aligned with specific regional or pan-Hindu traditions while also serving as community anchors for cultural programs, language classes, holiday celebrations, and the social networks that support immigrant communities’ adjustment and cultural maintenance. When visiting a Hindu temple in Atlanta, dress modestly and be prepared to remove shoes before entering the main worship hall. Temple darshan (viewing of the deity) schedules and festival observances vary by temple tradition, and calling ahead to confirm appropriate times for visitors is recommended for first-time guests.
Top Hindu Temple Companies in Atlanta
1. Hindu Temple of Atlanta
Address: 5851 GA Hwy 85, Riverdale, GA 30274
Phone: (770) 907-7102
Website: https://www.hindutempleofatlanta.org
Hours: Monday through Sunday 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Service Area: South Atlanta, Riverdale, College Park area
Services:
- Daily darshan and puja services
- Major Hindu festival celebrations
- Yoga and spiritual classes
- Cultural events and community programming
- Priest services for lifecycle ceremonies
- Online booking for special pujas
About: The Hindu Temple of Atlanta has served as a pillar of the Southeast USA Hindu community for over 30 years, established to provide a permanent worship space for the metro area’s growing Hindu population with the principal deities Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva enshrined in the main sanctum. The temple’s South Atlanta location on Highway 85 in Riverdale serves both the established South Atlanta Hindu community and worshippers who travel from across the metro area for major festival observances. Their comprehensive daily schedule of worship services, from early morning to evening, reflects the traditional Hindu temple’s role as a continuous place of spiritual activity rather than a once-weekly gathering space. The temple’s 30-plus years of operation have made it a community anchor for multiple generations of Hindu families in the Atlanta area.
2. BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Atlanta
Address: 460 Rockbridge Road NW, Lilburn, GA 30047
Phone: (678) 906-2277
Website: https://www.baps.org
Service Area: Gwinnett County, Northeast Metro Atlanta
Services:
- Daily worship and darshan
- Swaminarayan tradition prayers and aarti
- Youth programs (BAPS Bal Mandal, Kishore Mandal)
- Satsang and spiritual discourse programs
- Cultural events and community service
- Spiritual retreat and educational programs
About: The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Lilburn is affiliated with Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Sanstha (BAPS), one of the largest and most prominent Swaminarayan Hindu organizations in the world, known for its elaborately constructed marble mandirs that serve as both places of worship and community gathering centers. The Lilburn location in Gwinnett County places it in the heart of metro Atlanta’s most densely populated South Asian corridor, where the largest concentration of Atlanta’s Indian American community has settled over the past two decades. BAPS’s global network of mandirs provides a consistent worship and community structure for Swaminarayan devotees who move between cities, which is particularly valuable for Atlanta’s professional community that includes many relocating engineers and physicians. The organization’s extensive youth programming creates structured community engagement that spans generations.
3. Ganesh Temple of Atlanta – Hindu Community Center
Address: 5725 State Bridge Road, Johns Creek, GA 30022
Phone: (470) 297-8118
Service Area: Johns Creek, North Fulton County
Services:
- Lord Ganesha worship and darshan
- Hindu festival celebrations
- Puja and ceremonial services
- Community cultural programs
- Priest services for home ceremonies and lifecycle events
About: The Ganesh Temple of Atlanta serves the Johns Creek and North Fulton County Hindu community, reflecting the significant South Asian residential population that has developed in this affluent north Atlanta suburb over the past two decades. Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles and deity of beginnings, is one of the most universally venerated figures across the broad spectrum of Hindu traditions, making the Ganesh Temple accessible to Hindus from diverse regional backgrounds rather than exclusively serving a single linguistic or regional community. The Johns Creek location serves families in one of the metro area’s most highly educated and economically prosperous suburban communities, many of whom work in technology and healthcare sectors that have driven North Fulton County’s growth. The temple’s community center function extends its service beyond religious worship to encompass cultural programming that helps maintain Indian cultural heritage for second and third generation South Asian Americans.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What Hindu festivals are celebrated at Atlanta temples?
A: Atlanta’s Hindu temples observe the full calendar of major Hindu festivals, with the most widely celebrated including Diwali (Festival of Lights, typically October or November), Navratri (nine nights of goddess worship in fall), Holi (Festival of Colors, spring), Ganesh Chaturthi (celebration of Lord Ganesha, August or September), Ram Navami (Lord Rama’s birthday, spring), and Janmashtami (Lord Krishna’s birthday, August). Major festivals at the Hindu Temple of Atlanta and other large mandirs draw attendance from across the metro area and often feature elaborate rituals, cultural performances, and community gatherings. Some festivals like Diwali are also celebrated at community venues beyond temple campuses.
Q: Do Atlanta Hindu temples welcome non-Hindu visitors?
A: Yes, Atlanta’s Hindu temples generally welcome respectful visitors of all backgrounds who are interested in learning about Hindu worship and culture. Dress modestly and remove shoes before entering the worship hall. Photography policies vary by temple; ask before photographing in worship areas. Avoid entering temple spaces during active puja (prayer ritual) without guidance from temple staff. Many Atlanta temples have outreach programs and welcome interfaith delegations. The BAPS Mandir in particular has an established visitor program for schools, interfaith groups, and individuals interested in learning about the Swaminarayan tradition.
Q: Are priest services available for Hindu lifecycle ceremonies in Atlanta?
A: Yes. Atlanta’s major Hindu temples can arrange priestly services for lifecycle ceremonies including birth rituals (Namkaran and Annaprashan), weddings (Vivah), and last rites. Many temples maintain a staff of qualified priests who can perform rituals either at the temple or at private homes and event venues. The Hindu Temple of Atlanta offers an online booking system for special pujas and ceremonies. Planning several weeks to months in advance for weddings and other major ceremonies is advisable, especially during the auspicious wedding seasons that fall in spring and fall when priest availability becomes constrained.
Conclusion
Atlanta’s Hindu temple landscape reflects the extraordinary regional, linguistic, and denominational diversity of the metro area’s South Asian community. The Hindu Temple of Atlanta’s 30-plus years of operation and convenient daily worship hours make it a foundational institution serving the broad Hindu community across South Atlanta. The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Lilburn brings the global Swaminarayan tradition’s architectural magnificence and comprehensive youth programming to Gwinnett County’s densely populated South Asian corridor. The Ganesh Temple of Atlanta serves Johns Creek’s North Fulton Hindu community with accessible deity worship and cultural programming. Contact any of these temples to learn about darshan hours, upcoming festivals, and ceremony booking.